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.I. T. REID.

PNEUMATIC FOLDING ATTACHMENT FOR KEEPING DAMAGED VESSELS AFLOAT.

APPLICATION FILED JULY 6.1918,

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J. T. REID.

PNEUMATTC FOLDTNG ATTACHMENT FOR KEEPING DAMAGED VESSELS AFLOAT. APPLICATION FILED JULY 6, I918.

19312355. 7 Patented Aug. 5,1919.

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PNEUMATIc FOLDING ATTACHMENT Eon KEEPING DAMAGED vEssELs AFLOAT.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented A11 5, 1919.

Application filed July 6, 1918. Serial No. 243,596.

To all cohom it may concern:

Be 1t known that I, Jenn T. REID, a citrzen of the United States, residing at Lovelock, in the county of Humboldt and State of Nevada, havein-ve-nted new and useful Improvements in Pneumatic Folding Attachments for Keeping Damaged Vessels Afloat, of which the following 18 a specification.

This invention relates to pneumatic folding attachments for keeping damaged vessels afloat and it consists in the novel. features hereinafter described and claimed.

An object of theinvention is to provide an attachment of the character stated which is adapted to operate when the vessel is torpedoecl to prevent the vessel from turnin over and sinking.

with this object in view the attachment comprises one or more bellows members adapted to be mounted at the side of the vessel in a usual manner, there being means for inflating the bellows members with air, the said means being connected with the bellows members by means of hose which pass through the port holes of the vessel. Means are provided for holding the bellows members in extended or inflated position. The bellows members which are attached to the sides of the vessel are provided at their outer portions with rack bars to which additional bellows members may be applied in the event that additional bellows members are required. A telescopic airtank is adapted to be connected with, the lower portions of the bellows members and may be extended by inflating the same thus adding to the buoyancy of the attachment. Under normal conditions the bellows members are located at the sides of the vessel above the waterline. In the event that the vessel is struck by a torpedo at or below the waterline and begins to sink and tilt, the bellows members at the lower sides of the vessel are brought in contact with the water and when the bellows members are inflated they serve as buoys for the lower side portion of the vessel and will tend to prevent further tilting of the same and sinking thereof.

In the accompanying drawing:---

Figure 1 is a front view of a'vessel with the attachment applied.

Fig. 2 isa fragmentary elevation looking at the side of the hull of the vessel and showing the invention in an inoperative position. I

Fig. 3 is a similar view with the bellows lnflated and the tank extended.

Fig. is a fragmentary view showing the connectlon between two. of the bellows.

Fig. 5 is a transverse sectional view of the same and Fig. 6 is a detail longitudinal sectional view through the tank.

The attachment comprises bellows members 1 adapted to be applied to the sides of a vessel as best shown in Fig. 1 of the draw ing. These bellows members comprise innerand outer sides which are hingedly con-.

nected together as at Zat their upper edges.

Links 3 are pivotally connected at theirinner ends together and pivotally connected at their outer ends with the sides of the bellows members. bers are collapsed or folded the links are folded against each other and when thesides WVhen the bellows mem-x of the bellows members are extended then links are substantially in alinement with each other whereby the sides of the bellows members are held in spread position-Hose 1 may be connected with the bellows members 1 and pass through port holes in the side of the vessel and connected with an air supply tank 5 which is located within the vessel. Any suitable means may be provided for forcing air into the tank 5 and any suit able valve mechanism may be provided for controlling the passage of the air through the hose 4. from the tank to the bellows members. Rack bars 6 are provided at the outer sides of the bellows members which are attached directly to the sides of the vessel and other bellows members may be provided with clips 7 adapted to slide over the bars 6 whereby the assemblage of bellows members may be built 11 in the event that the bellows members which are located directly at the sides of the vessel are not sufiicient to add the proper amount of buoyancy to the vessel. The bellows members 1 may be divided into compartments by suitable partitions of folded material and these partitions may be provided with valves whereby air may pass from one compartment to an adjacent compartment. A collapsible tank 8 is adapted to be connected with those bellows members which are attached directly to the side of the vessel and the tank 8 comprises an intermediate pliable section 9 having suitable means for supplying air to the same. Cylindrical metallic and telescopic sections 10 are connected with the ends of the intermediate section 9 and when the section 9 is inflated the air will extend the section 10 longitudinally with relation to each other whereby an additional buoying means is provided at the lower portion of the bellows members.

When the vessel is in upright position at the surface of the water the lower ends of the bellows members are above the surface of the water and the bellows members are in collapsed position at the sides of the vessel. In the event that the vessel is struck by a torpedo at or below the waterline the vessel will begin to fill with water through the opening made by the explosion, consequently the vessel will tilt and While it is tilting the air may be admitted to the bellows members which are at the lower side of the vessel, consequently the said bellows members are expanded and when they come in contact with the surface of the water they will act as buoys for preventing further tilting of the vessel and for preventin sinking of the same. At the same time air may be admitted into the tank sections 9 and 10 and the tank 8 will thus further assist the bellows members in maintaining the vessel at the surface of the water.

When the vessel is not in a danger zone the apparatus may be carried or stored upon the deck but when the vessel enters the danger zone it may be applied to the side of the vessel as hereinbefore indicated.

From the foregoing description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawing it will be seen that a pneumatic attachment of simple and durable structure is provided and that the same may be easily and quickly applied to the sides of a vessel to prevent the same from turning over and from sinking in the event that the vessel is struck by a torpedo or similar projectile.

Having described the invention what is claimed 1s 1. A pneumatic vessel attachment comprising a bellows member adapted to be applied to the side of the vessel, means for inflating the bellows member, means for holding t e bellows member in extended position, a bar attached to the side of the bellows member and a second bellows member having a clip adapted to receive said bar.

2. A vessel attachment comprising bellows members adapted to be applied to the side of the vessel, an interlocking connection between said members whereby one member is supported upon the other member, means for inflating the bellows members and means for holdin the bellows members in extended position a 'ter inflation.

In testimony whereof I aifix my signature.

JOHN T. REID.

copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. 0. 

